[TheNick93]

I got a good pc..% gbs of ram, 3.3 ghz dual core...64 bit..but yet games suck..oblivion maxes at 22 fps on low graphics..I defragged, spyware searched and everything..the max I can spend id 40$...any ideas?

[Pronam]

Would be useful if you said which graphics card you are using right now..
You can check it by rightClicking on your desktop-> Properties. Then it should be there or by clicking advanced/more options.

Or far easier... going to this site: systemrequirementslab
and selecting The elder scrolls iv: oblivion

The cheapest (free) thing is to get the latests graphics driver from the manufacturer.

Like from the 2 big ones:
Nvidia
Ati

Another (free) thing is to get the latest version of directx9. Because vista hasn't got it updated
Direct X 9 End-user...

then there is the long list of of things you're running next to oblivion.
And do you've got all updates installed of windows?

[TheNick93]

Yep all updates and such,...nvidia 8400gs

[nosisab]

TheNick93, on Jul 23 2009, 04:40 AM, said:

Yep all updates and such,...nvidia 8400gs

that is the trouble, it's the video card in the low end of the mainstream... a decent one for many applications but will fail with most demanding 3D applications like some games at mid to up graphic's setup.

PS: the 9600gt is a fairly good card and is cheap now, it rivalizes even with the 9800gt (faster clock)... in it the 9600gt differs da 8600gt that performs a big deal worse (unlike the 8800gt and 9800gt that are equivalents, except over that hybrid SLI thing). you must be aware those sufix (GS, GT, GTS, GTX...) are very important too, sometimes they indicates crippled cards even to the own series. In the nvidia case, anything beginning with GT is progressively better... beginning with GS is progressively worse...

[TheNick93]

Thanks viciICE, and nosisab for your insight . Well time to find an odd job for some cash..